Crews Rescue Stranded Hikers In Deer Creek Canyon Park

Copter4 flew over a group of stranded hikers in Jefferson County on Thursday evening. (credit: CBS)

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)– Crews worked against the cold and fading daylight to rescue some stranded hikers in Jefferson County.

Inter-Canyon Fire Rescue spokesman Dan Hatlestad said it would take several hours to walk out the hikers since there is no easy route down the trail.

Crews flew out the injured hikers from Deer Creek Canyon Park by Flight for Life.

As of 7:15 p.m. crews had carried the second injured hiker to the medical helicopter landing zone. He was flown out by 7:35 p.m. The first injured hiker had been flown to a local hospital for treatment of injuries.

Five hikers left from the Meadow Trail in Deer Creek Canyon Park in the foothills southwest of Chatfield Reservoir on Thursday afternoon.

They told crews they were involved in a rock slide about 2:30 p.m. and needed help. Two of the hikers were injured. The other three hikers appear to be uninjured.

(credit: CBS)

Alpine Search and Rescue crews are helping Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies get to the hikers. Firefighters and EMS staff from Inter-Canyon Fire Rescue also joined the effort at 5:20 p.m. There are approximately 24 rescuers involved.

A medical helicopter was dispatched to where the hikers were stranded. The helicopter was not able to land at that time and instead dropped a couple of medical personnel to the hikers to give them medical attention.

Copter4 flew over the scene as medical personnel arrived. There was one man perched atop a large boulder and appeared to be keeping a lookout for rescue crews trying to reach them.

The hikers who were injured suffered possible broken bones.

Authorities said the hikers were not dressed for the weather conditions as temperatures are expected to drop as an arctic cold front moves in.